The first-team All-American defensive lineman from the University of Missouri announced that he was gay in February, just three months before hearing his name called by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft. When the 2014 season opens in September, the 24-year-old Texan will become the first openly gay player in the league.

Following ESPN's broadcast of a video reel about Sam's life, he kissed his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano, and walked onto the stage at the Nokia Theater to accept the award from former wrestler and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.